The use of a modified Delphi approach to engage stakeholders in zoonotic disease research priority setting.
Abstract: After the 2011 cluster of Hendra virus cases in horses in Australia, public health targeted education initiatives at people in the equine industry to reduce human exposure to potentially infected horses. 'Horse owners and Hendra Virus: A Longitudinal cohort study To Evaluate Risk' aims to enhance public health measures through improved understanding of Hendra virus risk perception and risk mitigation strategies among horse owners and horse care providers. This paper describes the stakeholder consultation that was undertaken to ensure the cohort study outcomes were relevant to diverse groups who play a role in Hendra virus policy development and implementation. Methods: A two-round modified Delphi study with online questionnaires was conducted. In round one, stakeholders identified priority research areas. In round two, stakeholders rated and ranked topics that emerged from thematic analysis of the round one responses. Round two data were analysed using logistic regression. Results: Of the 255 stakeholders contacted, 101 responded to round one. Over 450 topics were proposed. These were organized into 18 themes. Approximately two thirds of the round one respondents participated in round two. 'Hendra virus-related risk awareness and perception', 'personal health and safety', 'emergency preparedness', 'risk prevention, mitigation, and biosecurity', and 'Hendra virus vaccination in horses--attitudes/uptake' were the top five areas identified according to probability of being ranked extremely important. Conclusions: In this study, a modified Delphi approach was effective in guiding research into Hendra virus, a zoonotic disease of animal and human health significance. The findings support the notion that stakeholders should be engaged in zoonotic disease research priority setting. Such consultation will help to ensure that research initiatives are relevant and useful to stakeholders in the position to make use of new findings.
Publication Date: 2014-02-20 PubMed ID: 24552445PubMed Central: PMC4015955DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-182Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article describes how a diverse group of stakeholders was consulted to prioritize research areas in zoonotic disease, specifically Hendra Virus, through a modified Delphi approach.
Objective of the Study
- The study was conducted in response to a number of Hendra virus cases in horses in Australia in 2011. The research aimed at understanding the perception and mitigation strategies of Hendra virus risk among horse owners and horse care providers. This would enhance public health measures directed towards this group. The stakeholder consultation was implemented to ensure the study’s findings stayed relevant to diverse groups involved in the implementation and development of Hendra virus policies.
Methodology
- The method used was a modified Delphi study conducted in two rounds through online questionnaires. In the first round, stakeholders identified priority research areas. Then, in the second round, the stakeholders rated and ranked the topics that resulted from a thematic analysis of the responses from the first round. Data from the second round was analyzed using logistic regression.
Results
- The study achieved a mixed level of engagement, with 101 out of 255 stakeholders responding to Round One, resulting in over 450 topics being proposed. These were later organized into 18 themes. Approximately two thirds of these 101 respondents participated in Round Two.
- The top five areas identified as most important were: ‘Hendra virus-related risk awareness and perception’, ‘personal health and safety’, ’emergency preparedness’, ‘risk prevention, mitigation, and biosecurity’, and ‘Hendra virus vaccination in horses–attitudes/uptake’.
Conclusions
- The modified Delphi approach was found to be effective in guiding research into the Hendra virus, a disease of animal and human health significance.
- The findings reinforced the belief that stakeholders should be involved in prioritizing research for zoonotic diseases. This way, the research initiatives remain relevant and useful to stakeholders capable of leveraging the new findings.
Cite This Article
APA
Sawford K, Dhand NK, Toribio JA, Taylor MR.
(2014).
The use of a modified Delphi approach to engage stakeholders in zoonotic disease research priority setting.
BMC Public Health, 14, 182.
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-182 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Centre for Health Research, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW, Australia. melanie.taylor@uws.edu.au.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Australia
- Biomedical Research
- Cohort Studies
- Delphi Technique
- Hendra Virus / isolation & purification
- Henipavirus Infections / prevention & control
- Henipavirus Infections / transmission
- Horses
- Humans
- Logistic Models
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Zoonoses / prevention & control
- Zoonoses / transmission
References
This article includes 13 references
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